Thread the Needle: 8 Tips for Making the Most of Your Clothing Budget

Many financial experts believe that a clothing budget should be around 5% of your income. But, many of us don’t have that much disposable income built into our lifestyles and the idea of spending that much on clothes seems ludicrous.

Fortunately, it’s not at all necessary to spend that much to look as great, or even better than people who spend much more than you. It’s all about knowing when to shop, where to spend your money, and what looks great on you.

Check out this article to learn more and get tips on how to make the most of your dollars when shopping for clothes.

1. Establish a Color Scheme

There are two ways to build a wardrobe: one outfit at a time, or investing in clothing items that all match each other.

Buying outfits one at a time is more expensive because you have to buy things that all match each other.

If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t mind wearing similar colors all of the time, consider choosing a color palette for your wardrobe. You will have to buy fewer items in the end and will still have tons of outfits to choose from if you mix and match.

2. Invest in Staple Items First

Staple items are things like a good pair of jeans or a nicely cut suit jacket. These are the kind of items that you are going to end up wearing with a lot of different outfits.

These are the items that you should spend most of your money on. Get a nice pair of shoes, a quality belt, and a quality handbag (if you use one). Buy yourself a pair of jeans that fit perfectly and make you feel great and track down a jacket that makes you feel like yourself, only more powerful.

Then, once you have the most important things paid for, you can buy everything else to coordinate with those items for a flawless look.

3. Shop the Thrift Store

The thrift store is a great place to go to get nice tops and scarves to give your outfits some flare. It is a place of endless possibilities where the only limit to what you’ll find is your time and patience.

To make the most of your thrift store dollars, check to see what days of the week are half-price. Most thrift stores offer discount days to get rid of inventory so that they can restock. So if you can handle a little bit of a crowd, sale days are prime.

And to make the most of your finds, try to shop in the wealthiest parts of town where people are more likely to let go of high-value items without recognizing their value.

4. Shop Resellers

Many people resell clothing that they haven’t even worn yet on websites and apps dedicated to the purpose. Take a look at their inventory and see if anything interests you.

This is a great option for people who get frustrated in thrift stores and places like TJ Maxx and Marshals that have mixed clothing racks. But expect to pay a little bit more for the convenience.

5. Use Vouchers and Discount Coupons

Lots of websites offer discount coupons and vouchers for your favorite stores. That is if you know where to look.

Try tracking down vouchers online through websites that provide that service. Click here for more information on sample offers.

You can also sign up for discount coupons through loyalty programs. If you aren’t receiving mailers from your favorite stores, then you are probably missing out on a lot of savings.

Just remember, you can’t save money if you weren’t planning to spend any in the first place. Try not to be impulsive and spend just because you have a coupon, use them on your own schedule.

6. Get a Part-Time Retail Job

If you want to have high-quality new clothing and don’t want to have to hunt sales off-season, then you should consider getting a part-time retail job at your favorite shop.

You wouldn’t have to work there more than a few hours a week. But then you would be able to take advantage of an employee discount. So consider picking up a few shifts and earn your discount.

7. Tailor Your Existing Clothing

If your clothes are in good condition but just don’t fit, consider wearing them in a different manner. There are often ways you can cut and sew your clothes to make them work for you. Try to be creative and think outside of the box.

For example, many people cut old jeans into shorts which can be cut and sewn into skirts. And many people also cut down the side seams of shirts and then tie them back together with knots to make a rugged looking top.

The only limit to your wardrobe is your imagination.

8. Ask for Hand-Me-Downs

When you were a kid, you might have gotten a lot of hand-me-downs from older siblings, cousins, and friends. But just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean the hand-me-downs have to end.

Many people these days are shopaholics and have way more wardrobe than they know what to do with. If you have some friends who are really fashionable dressers around your size, consider making a joke about them donating a few clothing items to your cause. They’ll either laugh it off or get super excited to help!

More Clothing Budget Help

These tips for making the most of your clothing budget will give you the ability to put together a great wardrobe at almost any budget.

It’s all about buying the staple items first, hunting down good deals, and taking care of your existing clothing. For more tips on saving money, check out our blog today.

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